A Christmas Prayer
by Thesda
Summary: A simple prayer makes a dream come true.


**Title: A Christmas Prayer**  
Rating: PG  
Spoilers: Through Season 6  
Category: Friendship/Relationships/ Family  
Summary: Someone makes a Christmas Prayer, and someone makes the ultimate sacrifice in a time of need.  
Disclaimer: They are not mine  
Authors Note: A tissue box may be necessary. You'll see why this is necessary, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, is a condition that heart muscle becomes too thick to function properly. The thickening affects the individual heart muscle cells and may be so severe that it interferes with the proper pumping of blood out of the heart. Sometimes there is even a partial blockage or obstruction of blood flow out of the heart. This obstruction adds to the work of the heart and may lead to fainting spells.

A Christmas Prayer 

Pain that's all he could feel was pain, after a loud crunch. He didn't know what was wrong all he knew was pain and that he couldn't move.

Bosco lay in the hospital bed, the energy out of his body. His face was pale and sunken. Ever since he had been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, six months earlier he had been in an out of the hospital and his mother and Faith had taken turned spending the days there next to his bed.

It had only been three days since his latest attack and he been admitted since then. Doctors get saying he would die without a heart transplant. They gave him eight months without a heart. That was five months ago. Time was of the essence.

Fire personnel worked hard to pull him out of the wreckage. Pain a lot of pain, he could hear voices but he could reply, "Organ donor," he heard. He had checked that box on his license for one reason. If he couldn't serve the world in one way he'd have to do it that way.

Faith was asleep in a chair when, now 18-year-old Emily came in, "Hey Uncle B, How are you feeling?"

"I'm tired but hanging in there." He said with a smile, a faint smile, but none-the-less a smile. 'How about you? Everyone treating you well at the academy?"

"Yeah Uncle B, everyone is treating me fine. I'm at the top of my class, and I graduate in two months. I'm thinking about ESU and SVU." She said sitting next to him on the bed and took his hand.

He smiled as she mentioned, ESU and SVU, "Shooting high like your mother." He said as he started coughing, Emily sat the bed up some.

"How's that?" she asked really concerned about him. After all this was her Uncle Bosco.

"Approximately 30-year-old male, head, abdominal, and extremity trauma secondary to a MVC. Heart rate 110, BP 190/160," A medic said as they wheeled him in.

Doctors worked and results of a CT scan showed that the guy was brain dead. The doctor sighed, "Call Unos," he said.

Hours passed since Emily had come in and Bosco was sleeping. A nurse came in, "Mr. Boscorelli, we've found a match here in this hospital."

Faith heard the word match and was awake in seconds. She was by the bed instantly, "when can you take him"

"Unos has already started prepping the donor. We just need your signature." She said.

Bosco weakly took the pen and signed his name. Rose walked in. "They got a heart ma, they got a heart," he said seeing tears stream down her face.

"Oh Maurice," she said, hugging him.

"Can I see the donor, thank him and his family," Faith asked.

"Technically no but go ahead but be quiet, Room 3." The nurse said.

Faith snuck down after saying her see you real soon's to Bosco, and a kiss. She walked in. She looked at the name on the wrist band, "Gusler, Steven Rae." She said as she read. The name hit her like a brick. "Oh God Gusler. I'm sorry, I didn't treat you better, and think more of you when you worked with me. Your saving Bosco, Steven, your saving Bosco. I'll never be able to thank you enough for this." She said leaning down and kissing his forehead, "Thank you Steve," she said.

A doctor walked in, "He has no family."

"His family is the NYPD, the 55th precinct," Faith said.

"I'll call the station officer," the doctor said

"No need I'm here," she said, "Lieutenant Faith Yokas," she said with a choked up voice. She sighed trying to regain her composure, "I'll take his belongings," she said to the silent doctor, "Make sure the body is released to Brewer's on Lex, they handle all NYPD funerals." She said turning and accepting the out stretched bag. "Bye Steve, Godspeed, Stay an Echo in the darkness, and a voice in the wind." She said walking out, clutching the bag, as she slowly made her way back to the Family waiting room.

"Ma what's wrong?" Emily said from her seat next to Rose not moving her arm from around her.

"The donor is a cop," she said, "A five-five cop."

"Who," Rose asked simply

"Gusler," Faith replied.

Hours passed, Rose had dozed off. Emily was sitting with her head in Faiths lap, "Ma, I know what I want for Christmas." She said

"What's that," Faith said

"Ma, all I want for Christmas is one Christmas prayer, I want Bosco at my graduation."

"We'll see, Honey, We'll see."

"Boscorelli Family," the doctor said walking into the room.

They all sprinted out of their chairs and into each other's arms. "That's us."

"Well the surgery went well. We'll know more in a week or so."

"Can we see him," Faith asked being the first to find her voice.

The Doctor nodded as the three ladies smiled, "Yes you can. He's sleeping."

The ladies made their way into Bosco's room. Rose and Faith went to opposite sides of the bed Emily stood at the foot of the bed and placed a hand on Bosco's foot as her mother and Rose took hands, she said a small prayer, silently, "Dear Lord, please all I want for Christmas is Uncle B at my graduation Please that's all, thank you. Amen"

ONE MONTH LATER 

**Day of Graduation**

Emily sat at the kitchen table notebook in front of her. She threw her pen down and ripped a page out of her book and crumpled it, throwing it across the room. Faith stood in the kitchen, "anything I can do?" she asked putting a glass away.

"No just writing my speech for the end of the ceremony, I'm having trouble with the wording," she said leaning back and rubbing her temples, "Nothing seems right, Ma."

Faith walked into the living room, "Go on," she said leaning down and kissing her daughters hair, "something will inspire you."

Emily smiled as she stood and walked towards her room, "Thanks Ma." She said she pushed open her door staring at her uniform. The irony of it all was she matched at the 55 for her starting precinct.

She dressed slowly before she pulled her jacket on she noticed an envelope on her vanity which hadn't been there when she had done her makeup. She picked up the envelope with her name shakily written on the front. She turned it over and opened it slowly. She pulled out the pages and unfolded them. She took a deep breath and began to read:

"_To my little Emily,_

_Since you were seven years old and your mom brought me home with her and I first met you. I knew you would succeed. I may not be your father but I have watched you grow from an awkward little girl to a blossoming teenager into a beautiful enthusiastic Young woman who is as fair as a Rose._

_Emily, I may never get to say this to you but when I look at you all I can think of is dreaming anew. As you complete your work for the academy and I see your mom helping you. It makes my sick heart glad to see you two laughing and bonding._

_People say that life is a question of balance and everyone is in one class. I disagree you are in a class of your own. I feel you are my daughter, Emily. I know you wanted me there but I don't know if I will make it to your ceremony or not, but know if I'm not. That voice in the wind is me._

_Every storm is not all Thunder and lightning. I will be with you when the enemy strikes. Before you leave the apartment your mother will give you a gift from me. It is a gift of love and I will try to be there. I love you Emily. You are my little girl._

_Forever in your Heart,_

_Uncle B._

Emily sobbed quietly. She refolded the letter and placed it back in the envelope and then stood and placed it in her hope chest. She dried her eyes and touched up her makeup. She took a deep breath before pulling her jacket on. She looked in the mirror and sighed, "this was it" she thought picking up her hat she exited the room.

Faith was dressed and waiting a small jewelry box in her hand. "You found the letter." She said standing, "Here from Bosco."

Emily took the box. She opened it slowly, a simple gold police shield, on a gold chain. Engraved in the back with, "Emily Yokas in a class of her own. Uncle B." Another sob escaped her lips, "Mom, I wanted him there so badly."

"You still have time till your prayer can come true. Have a little faith," she said hugging her daughter, "You found your inspiration."

"I have," Emily said holding the box out to Faith as in a silent request for Faith to put it on. Faith took the box and removed the necklace and placed it around her daughter's neck clasping it shut Emily moved it under her shirt near her heart, "Ready."

"You look beautiful," she said nodding. Faith picked up both hats and glove sets and mother and daughter exited the apartment, one unaware of one last surprise.

Emily wrote feverishly the whole ride. Finishing shortly before arriving, "Done. I love you mom."

"I love you too," she said as she parked, "Em, I'm proud of you. Go on Go inside" she said as they stepped out of the car.

Emily nodded, "Yeah Ma, thank you for everything," she said giving her one more hug and then running off hat, gloves and speech in hand.

Faith sighed and looked up just as Rose pulled up. Faith walked around to the passenger side and opened the door, "Hey Bosco."

He stepped out as Rose began to pull a wheelchair out of the trunk, "Ma, I'm walking," he said. It was obvious he had gained weight. "Did you give it to her?"

"Yes she loved it. It gave her inspiration for her speech," Faith said, "I haven't see you in this uniform in a long time," she said straightening his tie, "Shall we," she said.

"Yeah thanks Lieutenant," he said, jokingly, "Is it true I have Gusler's heart?"

"Yeah it is," she said as they headed to their seats in the front row.

The Ceremony began and towards the end the director of ceremonies called Emily to the podium. Emily walked up to it slowly unfolding her speech. She stopped and began to speak, "Someone once told me that life a question of balance and that everyone is in one big class, but I have to disagree. Each one of us is in a class of our own. Sometimes we feel all alone in the coming storms," She said looking out into the audience, her eyes coming to rest on her mom then came to rest on Bosco and a smile crossed her face, "but we're not. We each have a voice in the wind, a brother, a sister, a mother, a friend, or a father. For the past year we have worked hard to achieve our dreams that's for most have been since we were children, and for some it came easy for others it was harder. After today when we go our separate ways remember listen to your voice in the wind and remember to always dream anew. Thank you and good luck."

Applause, all she could hear was applause and a quiet voice, "That's my girl." She walked back to her seat and once the ceremony concluded she headed beeline for Bosco, who stood there tears streaming down his face, so happy for her. She slowed when she was a few feet away. He opened his arms and into them she came, "Uncle B, thanks," she whispered, "I love you, dad."

He squeezed her as tight as he could, "I love you too."

"This is all I wanted for Christmas, my family together," Emily said as Faith and Rose circled them and a picture taken, all four of them a family.

The following morning in the newspaper, the picture on the front-page was the picture of Faith, Bosco, and Emily. Headline reading, "A CHRISTMAS PRAYER." The caption below the read, "All I wanted for Christmas as my dad here to see my graduate, and it came true," said Emily Yokas, 19, (Center) surrounded by her parents, Lieutenant Faith Yokas and Detective M. Boscorelli, both of the 55th precinct."

The End

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